Hilton Affiliate Program: How It Works, Payment Details & More

Hilton is a hospitality giant that needs no introduction. With thousands of properties and a presence in several countries, it’s a highly recognizable brand with an outstanding reputation.

As a travel affiliate, promoting Hilton products can be an excellent way to monetize your online presence. Read on to learn more about the Hilton affiliate offer, and whether this program could be a good fit for you.

Does Hilton Have an Affiliate Program?

The Hilton brand has an affiliate marketing program offered through two networks, Skimlinks and Awin. Publishers can earn commissions by promoting products from the 18 brands that make up the Hilton family.

What Is the Hilton Affiliate Program?

The Hilton affiliate program allows you to earn a commission by promoting hotel rooms and other products from the Hilton family.

As a content creator, you can monetize your online presence by telling your audience about Hilton properties and sharing a unique referral link.

Hilton offers a second affiliate program for Hilton Honors points. Instead of promoting hotel bookings, you can earn commissions when travelers purchase Honors points they can redeem on free hotel stays, dining, airfare, and more.

How Does the Hilton Affiliate Program Work?

You can sign up for the Hilton affiliate program through the sites Skimlinks or Awin. These affiliate marketing networks will review your application, and issue a unique referral URL after approving it.

You can then share this unique URL with your audience. Every time a traveler books a hotel room after following your link, you’ll earn a 4% commission on their purchase.

Note that you can also earn commissions on Hilton hotel bookings by signing up for an affiliate marketing program offered by a third-party booking site like Hotels.com or Booking.com.

Is the Hilton Affiliate Program Free?

Yes, you can join the program for free. It’s possible to earn a side income as an affiliate marketer without incurring any expenses.

However, you should know that many affiliate marketers invest in ads to promote their online presence or equipment to develop quality content.

You should also consider that documenting your stay at a Hilton property is one of the best ways of promoting the hospitality brand. Unfortunately, affiliate marketers don’t get discounts on Hilton hotel rooms.

What Products Can You Promote for the Hilton Affiliate Program?

The Hilton affiliate program makes it possible for you to earn a commission when travelers book stays at participating properties.

Note that some properties can choose not to take part in the program. It’s best to check which hotels and resorts opted out of the program before making specific recommendations.

Here are a few examples of the kind of properties you can promote with this program.

Upper-Midscale Amenities

Hilton Hotels & Resorts is the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide.

It’s one of the largest hospitality brands in the world, and there are around 600 hotels you can promote. With a strong presence in the US and abroad, this brand appeals to a diverse audience.

Hampton is another crucial brand you’ll want to have in your marketing strategy, with over 2,500 hotels to promote.

Luxury Options

Hilton is one of the travel affiliate programs that give you the possibility of earning more by focusing on luxury travel experiences. With brands like Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, or Embassy Suites, you can help sophisticated travelers explore upscale amenities.

Budget-Friendly Brands

With its Spark by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, and Homewood Suites by Hilton brands, the hospitality giant has been branching out and offering more options for budget-conscious travelers.

These brands have many options at less than $100 a night and can be worth promoting if your audience is looking for deals or last-minute getaways.

Week-Long Vacations

With over 70 properties, the Hilton Grand Vacation brand is worth promoting. These properties deliver upscale resort experiences in the US and abroad.

Hilton Honors Points

If you want to diversify your revenue sources, you should think about joining Hilton’s other affiliate marketing program.

Travelers can earn Hilton Honors points every time they book a stay at a Hilton hotel and redeem these points to save on future stays, get discounts on car rentals, save on online shopping, and much more.

Reward program members can also purchase points. As an affiliate, you’ll earn a 2.5% commission if a traveler follows your referral link to buy these points.

Other Things You Can Promote With This Program

There are other brands you can promote with this program:

• The Home2 Suites brand offers extended stays. It can be a great way to earn more per purchase.
• If your audience is primarily young, the Motto collection and its micro-hotels in modern urban settings might be a hit.
• Focusing on the Tapestry collection is an excellent way to connect with travelers looking for something similar to a boutique hotel.

Most of your commissions will likely come from travelers booking hotel rooms, but remember that many of these properties also double as event venues or offer amenities like business centers.

What Products Are Excluded From the Hilton Affiliate Program?

Hilton has a few rules that exclude some bookings from its affiliate marketing program.

For starters, the wording of the program mentions that you can earn a commission on participating properties, which suggests hotels and resorts have the possibility to opt out of the program.

Travelers can also enter a referral code when checking out on the Hilton website. Travel agencies typically enroll with Hilton to get a unique referral code and share it with their customers. If a traveler uses a travel agency code when booking, then you won’t earn a commission.

The affiliate account excludes bookings made with corporate accounts and bookings where travelers redeem their Honor points.

How Much Do Hilton Affiliates Make?

There is a strong earning potential since Hilton is a major hospitality brand and there are thousands of properties you can promote.

However, your earnings will vary depending on your ability to generate bookings and the size of your audience.

The good news is that the travel industry is recovering from the pandemic and occupancy rates are currently at 67%. Spending on vacation and traveling has been increasing, and Hilton has developed a successful reward program that results in repeat stays.

Salaries for affiliate marketers go anywhere from $25,000 to six-figure numbers.

As a successful travel content creator with an established audience, it’s realistic to earn a living thanks to your online presence if you combine different affiliate programs and other sources of income.

If you’re new to affiliate marketing and still building your audience, this program can help you earn a side income.

Hilton Affiliate Program Commission Rates

The commission rate is the percentage of each sale that Hilton pays its affiliate partners.

How Much Can You Earn on Bookings?

You can become an affiliate publisher and promote hotel room bookings by joining the Hilton affiliate marketing program on Awin or SkimLinks.

Both platforms offer a commission rate of 4%. With hotel prices averaging $212 a night, this commission rate translates to approximately $8 per booking.

How Much Can You Earn With Honor Points?

If you decide to join Hilton’s affiliate program for selling honor points, you’ll earn a commission of 2.5%.

How Long Does the Hilton Cookie Last?

It depends on the platform you use to join the program. Awin is the clear winner with a 30-day affiliate cookie. SkimLinks doesn’t disclose the duration of the affiliate cookie it uses, but some sources report that the cookie duration is only seven days.

How Do You Get Paid From Hilton?  

Since Hilton outsources its affiliate marketing program to Awin and SkimLinks, you’ll receive payouts from these platforms. Awin offers direct deposits for US users. SkimLinks lets you choose between direct deposit and PayPal.

When Does Hilton Pay Affiliates?

The payout threshold on Awin is only $20. If you join the program via SkimLinks, you’ll have to earn $65 before you can request a payout. Funds have to stay in your account for at least 30 days before you can request a payment.

Note that these two networks give you access to several affiliate marketing programs. You can reach the minimum payout threshold by earning commissions via different programs.

What Marketing Materials and Promotional Tools Are Available?

Unfortunately, Hilton has limited involvement in its own affiliate marketing campaign. As a publisher, you’ll get access to quality educational resources designed to help you succeed through Awin or SkimLinks, but you won’t have access to material that is specific to Hilton or the travel industry.

Hilton has a strong online presence with quality websites where you can learn more about the different brands and properties. Content like professional photographs and reviews from travelers can be helpful for developing promotional content.

Who Should Join the Hilton Affiliate Program?

Earning commissions on hotel bookings is a sound monetization strategy for a wide range of blogs and websites.

1. Travel Blogs

Travel blogs are excellent candidates for joining this affiliate program. You can tell your audience about your first-hand experiences in Hilton hotels, share your own photographs, and inspire your readers to book a vacation.

2. Lifestyle, Culture, and More

There is no need to travel the world to promote hotels and resorts.

Do you create content about local events, share lifestyle content, or practice a sport or outdoor hobby that is unique to your area? If yes, you can use your content to inspire readers to book a stay at a nearby Hilton property.

3. Photographers:

Do you use the internet to share your passion for photography?

Whether you travel or use your social media presence to share pics of local landscapes or street photography sessions, your images could inspire your audience to travel, making the Hilton program an excellent fit for the Instagram niche.

4. Family Blogs

From baby products to meal subscriptions, family-oriented content is the perfect vehicle for joining a wide range of affiliate programs. Hilton resorts and budget-friendly accommodations are some of the things you can promote.

5. Deals

Do you have a blog or social media page dedicated to sharing the deals and special offers you come across?

If yes, you should think about joining the Hilton Honors affiliate program to help your audience save on travel. The main Hilton affiliate program can also be a good option if you decide to focus on budget-friendly properties or look for hotels with discounted room prices.

Is the Hilton Affiliate Program Worth It?

With more than 5,000 hotels in the US alone, Hilton is one of the largest hospitality companies. Joining this affiliate marketing program makes sense if your goal is to monetize content related to travel, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

Pros of the Hilton Affiliate Program

Here’s why we think this program is worth your time:

• Hilton is a widely recognized brand with an excellent reputation.
• You can promote thousands of properties across 19 brands.
• Each booking will add to hundreds of dollars, with opportunities to boost your income with luxury properties or extended stays.
• The 4% commission rate aligns with what other affiliate programs in the travel niche offer.
• The 30-day cookie duration offered by Awin is ideal for giving people enough time to plan their trip.

Cons of the Hilton Affiliate Program

There are a few things we don’t like about this program:

• The lack of direct involvement from Hilton. Having third-party platforms manage the program means there is limited support and no marketing materials.
• SkimLinks seems to offer a much shorter cookie duration.
• Competition can be harsh for the travel niche.
• There are different scenarios where affiliates don’t earn commissions due to referral codes or loyalty point redemptions.
• Awin and SkimLinks offer limited payout options.

Conclusion: Is the Hilton Affiliate Program Worth It?

After weighing the pros and cons, we recommend joining the Hilton affiliate program. It’s free to join, there is a huge selection of properties to promote, and Awin and SkimLinks both offer low payout thresholds.

We recommend signing up via Awin to make sure you benefit from the 30-day cookie duration and increase your chances of earning commissions.

While it’s true that the travel niche is highly competitive, the Hilton affiliate marketing program has a strong earning potential.

The 4% commission is lower than what you can earn on other types of products, but with each booking representing hundreds of dollars, your commissions can add up quickly. You can also focus on luxury properties or extended stays to increase the average purchase price.

How To Join the Hilton Affiliate Program

Are you ready to sign up for this affiliate program? Read on to learn more about the process.

Requirements To Join the Hilton Affiliate Program

There are no specific requirements to become a Hilton affiliate, but you need to have an existing online presence.

Whether you sign up with Awin or SkimLinks, these platforms will review your existing website, blog, or social media page when processing your application.

How To Apply

Here is how you can join the Hilton affiliate program on Awin:

1. Visit the Hilton program page on Awin.
2. Click on Sign Up in the left column.
3. Select a country and enter your name and contact information.
4. Share some information about your website, blog, or social media page, and select the main strategies you use to promote affiliate links.
5. Awin will review your application and get back to you with a response.

If the platform approves your application, you’ll get a Hilton affiliate link. If the Awin team doesn’t think you’re a good candidate for the program, you’ll still have the possibility to create an Awin account and apply to another program.

If you want to sign up via SkimLinks, the process is similar:

Visit SkimLinks.com.

1. Create an account by clicking on Sign Up.
2. You’ll have to share your name, contact information, and a URL to your website.
3. Once the SkimLinks team has approved your account, you can apply for the Hilton program on the program’s page.

SkimLinks will use the information you shared when creating your publisher account to determine if you’re a good candidate for the Hilton program.

How Long Does It Take To Get Approved for the Hilton Affiliate Program?

Typically, Awin reviews new applications within 48 hours while SkimLinks can take up to 72 hours. Once you have an approved publisher’s account on Awin or SkimLinks, it can take an additional day or two for the platform to review your application for the Hilton program.

Does Hilton Support the Affiliate Program?

The answer is no. You can join the Hilton affiliate program through Awin or SkimLinks and will need to contact the platform you decided to use if you need help with something.

Both platforms have an extensive repository of online resources to help you set up a successful affiliate marketing business, and you can also submit help tickets.

Tips for Making Money With the Hilton Affiliate Program

These strategies will help you maximize your earnings with this affiliate program.

Prioritize High-Value Purchases

One of the best ways to earn more with this program is to focus on bookings that are worth thousands. Hilton has thousands of hotels you can promote, but properties from luxury brands like Conrad, Waldorf Astoria, or Tempo will result in high-value bookings.

If you don’t want to limit yourself to a small luxury niche, you can expand your focus and promote upper-midscale brands like LXR or Tapestry. Resort stays in exotic destinations and extended stays are other high-value purchases you can focus on.

Establish Trust

Why should your audience trust your travel recommendations? A great way to establish trust is to visit the Hilton properties you recommend yourself. Your vacation pictures and first-hand reviews will establish trust and credibility.

It’s fine if you’re not a travel expert. Creating genuine content to express your personal opinion after staying at a Hilton property can feel refreshing and help you connect with your audience.

If you travel often, take advantage of social media to make your audience a part of these exciting experiences and establish expertise as an experienced traveler.

Offer Something Unique

The travel industry is worth $5.8 billion. It’s a major industry and one of the best niches for affiliate marketing, but it also means that competition can be stiff.

You’ll have to find a way to differentiate yourself from other travel bloggers and compete against the main third-party booking sites.

Find something that makes you unique. Share your experiences traveling with a toddler, use your talent as a photographer to create appealing content, or document your quest to find the perfect street taco as you travel across the 50 states.

Get Into the Specifics

Take the time to familiarize yourself with the different Hilton brands to better understand how each hotel collection differentiates itself from the rest so that you can choose the most relevant properties for your target audience.

Besides discussing rooms and amenities, you can share your unique expertise regarding local landmarks or recommend fun things to do in the area around the hotel.

Alternatives to the Hilton Affiliate Program

If you want to focus on the travel niche, there are other programs to consider:

• Airbnb Affiliate Program: Earn up to 30% of the Airbnb guest fee by promoting vacation rentals.
• Expedia Affiliate Program: Share deals on hotels, flights, car rentals, and more with your audience.
• Uber Affiliate Program: Diversify your monetization strategies by becoming an Uber affiliate and earning up to $5 per new user you refer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read on to learn more about becoming a Hilton affiliate.

Wrapping Up

With over 5,000 properties, joining the Hilton affiliate marketing program is a no-brainer if you have an existing website, blog, Instagram page, or YouTube channel dedicated to traveling.

The commission rate aligns with what other programs offer in the travel niche and there is a strong potential to earn a steady income if you focus on high-value bookings and develop unique travel content.